While I normally enjoy your posts Roger I have to disagree with your assessment since it's difficult to say that one knife is better than another based solely off of weight.

Of course if your not wanting to baton wood there's no point in carrying the extra weight of a fixed blade + sheath since even the lightest seem to weigh more than a good folder or are very diminutive. I've never tried to baton with any of my folders so all I'm going on is speculation and what I've read elsewhere about the hinges not holding up. But I have no intention of putting my good folders through the punishment to find out unless I have to for some reason. What kind of punishment can that Benchmade folder take?

For a good fixed blade that can function as a bushcraft knife in a pinch the Izula seems hard to beat. It's going on my Christmas list this year. The only question now is what color? Thanks to Youtube pink is out....

> it's difficult to say that one knife is better than another based solely off of weight.Obviously! Match the knife to the task.

But since I always use a canister stove and don't need to split firewood, I don't need a big knife. Here in Oz it is risky even lighting a wood fire outside winter. And if I did want to light a fire here, I would not bother trying to split the local hardwood anyhow. No-one ever does.

But such a folder has many other uses for the lightweight walker:Breakfast, below Augstbordpass, Switzerland

Here in Texas we tend to have a fire ban about once a year in the summer. And it's to hot for a fire around these parts during those months anyway.

In the winter here a fire is a very nice thing for comfort if nothing else and while I generally only light my alcohol stove on winter nights a fire sure is nice and generally very safe. Of course anyone using a Bushbuddy type of stove may want the option to baton wood as well.

Another reason, at least for me to carry a fixed blade, is I tend to spend a lot of my time in the woods off trail. Which has more of a potential to turn into a survival situation than staying on trails where one is likely to be found in the event of an emergency.

Here's why I intend to replace my Benchmade Nimravus with an Izula.1) Rat Cutlery has an amazing warranty if I do manage to break it.2) It's very thick for its size (see reason number 1)3) Made of carbon steel rather than stainless steel. Thus it can be used on natural flints to create sparks and remember two of the keys to going light safely is knowledge, which is weightless, and multi-use gear. Flint is abundant around here too.4) The Izula is lighter than the Nimravus it will be replacing.

In conclusion, while a folder may be perfect for most camp chores there comes a point where a fix blade is the only real solution. In that regard I believe the comparison between the two styles is really apples and oranges as they serve two very different needs; and in the class of fixed blades the Izulas specs really stand out. Therefore, for me, it's very difficult to pass up the allure of this little 2 oz. knife when it's weighed against the strengths and weaknesses of the other knives competing to be on my hip.

>Another reason, at least for me to carry a fixed blade, is I tend to spend a lot of my time in the woods off trail. Which has more of a potential to turn into a survival situation than staying on trails where one is likely to be found in the event of an emergency.

Really, there is a difference in needs here, and I'm still torn. The Izula looks good for emergency situations. The folding knife for slicing bread (great image, as always Roger!) and other camp duties. I can't imagine myself carrying a loaf of bread on the trail. The weight would be greater than my shelter! Beside slicing open a Mountain House package. I can't think of any other camp duties.

In an emergency situation, I want my knife to be tough as nails, "Stronger than dirt" as the old advert goes). More than once, I've needed to dig a hole in the hard, hard Ohio dirt, and the old p@@p (the board censored p@@p!) trowel didn't do the job. Perhaps the Izula is the one, but I'd be carrying around 2 oz. JIC, a very rare perhaps even non-existent, JIC. Perhaps if I discarded the p@@p trowel and used the Izula as a dual-purpose device, I could justify the weight cost.

Another nice feature is the lanyard aspect (easy access without removing the whole lanyard/ knife from around your neck).

I don't know that I'd want to use my (sharp) knife to go digging in the dirt...

Anyway, two thoughts:

1. The folder that I carry is the A.G. Russell Featherlite. the locking mechanism seems unique and sturdy. I have used it to baton smaller kindling with. I wouldn't want to split logs with it though. But the Izula won't be splitting logs for you either. Link to the Featherlite:

http://www.agrussell.com/product.asp?pn=K-93B&bhcd2=1258384314

2. If you like the Izula, you might want to check out Scott Gossman's PSK Jr. Get it in 01 with a paracord wrapped handle and kydex sheath and you'll be set. Same sort of knife as the Izula, but much nicer in my opinion. My experiences with RAT stuff has not been good.

I was a bladeforums member before a BPL member, so becoming ultralight in the knives department is tough for me!

I did however recently pickup an Izula, and it has been great so far! My pack has some small pockets on the belt, that the belt passes through. I've put the knife in this spot between the belt and the pocket. I attached the sheath with a small piece of rope, so I have quick access to the knife. This might be hard to visualize, but the knife just becomes part of my pack.

I'll second the Gossman PSK as well. Great knife with good reviews. He mostly does convex grinds, and I prefer a flat grind. I also like the coating on the Izula as it's always wet here, I'm frequently by water. RAT is a great company that stands behind their products.

There are SEVERAL other knives in this category that people on bladeforums make. However, I've yet to find something that I like better than the Izula. With it being skeletonized, you get a bigger knife than some others. It is also very comfortable in hand. I have big hands, and think that some of the smaller knives would be hard to manage.

If you are looking for a knife, and have some specific thoughts of what you would like to see, head over to bladeforums and look around. There a lot of makers in the Wilderness and Survival forum who design knives to fit into small tins for "survival kits".

The Becker Necker, now made by Kabar, is another similar knife, though it's a little heavier.